In recent years, it has become clear that various extracellular substrates play an important role in the process of invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. In a previous study, we reported that the serum concentration of laminin in renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer is elevated, and furthermore, is remarkably high in patients with metastasis. However, in bladder cancer, this level is elevated only in those with metastasis, indicating that the serum concentration of laminin is useful as a marker for metastasis or clinical progression of the malignant tumor.
In the present study, we measured the serum concentration of type IV collagen 7S-domain, which, as laminin constructs the basement membrane, and compared the result with the serum concentration of laminin, to evaluate the clinical significance of the findings.
The serum concentration of type IV collagen 7S-domain was not elevated significantly in any tumor type, although the serum concentration of laminin was elevated in patients with renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer and bladder cancer with metastasis. There were no significant differences in the serum concentration of type IV collagen 7S-domain in any group with metastasis.